XRP Loses Steam While BTC Soars: "Lower Highs" Spark Bearish Fears (October 2025)

• Why Is XRP Underperforming While Bitcoin Hits New Highs?
• Is XRP’s Key Support Level About to Break?
• The Dangerous Divergence Between BTC and Altcoins
• What Could Trigger an XRP Reversal?
• Historical Precedents: Should XRP Holders Worry?
• Expert Take: The BTCC Team’s Perspective
• FAQ: Your XRP Questions Answered

The crypto market is witnessing a strange divergence this week. Bitcoin (BTC) continues its relentless climb past $126,000, while XRP struggles to keep pace, forming concerning "lower highs" on its charts. This technical pattern suggests weakening buyer momentum and raises questions about a potential downturn. We dive into the structural weaknesses, key support levels, and historical precedents that could shape XRP's next move. Is this a temporary hiccup or the calm before a storm? Let’s break it down.

Why Is XRP Underperforming While Bitcoin Hits New Highs?

This week’s market action feels like a split-screen reality. On one side, bitcoin is flexing its muscles, smashing through $126,000 like it’s nothing. On the other, XRP is limping along, unable to recapture its September highs. The "lower highs" pattern—where each rally peaks below the last—paints a worrying picture. Since July, every Bitcoin surge has dragged XRP upward, but the altcoin’s rebounds have grown progressively weaker. The latest XRP peak stalled at $3.10, falling short of September’s $3.19 high. According to BTCC analysts, this erosion typically signals fading demand. It’s as if XRP buyers are losing conviction with each push, while sellers grow bolder.

Is XRP’s Key Support Level About to Break?

The $2.65 zone has become XRP’s last line of defense—a level where buyers have repeatedly stepped in to prevent deeper losses. But here’s the problem: the more times a support level is tested, the weaker it becomes. Think of it like a levee during a flood; each wave wears it down a bit more. If $2.65 gives way, we could see a 25% plunge toward $2.00, triggering derivative liquidations that might accelerate the drop. To invalidate this bearish scenario, XRP needs a decisive breakout above $3.10 with heavy trading volume (CoinMarketCap data shows spot volumes remain subdued). Until then, the technical setup leans bearish—even if Bitcoin keeps mooning.

The Dangerous Divergence Between BTC and Altcoins

This isn’t new behavior. In past cycles, altcoins often lagged during Bitcoin’s final bullish phases before getting crushed in corrections. Remember 2021? When BTC peaked, altcoins fell harder. Right now, XRP’s weakness suggests investors are becoming selective—pouring money into Bitcoin while neglecting smaller assets. The chart’s "lower highs" are flashing warning lights: market strength isn’t spreading evenly. As one trader on crypto Twitter put it: "When BTC stops sharing the wealth, alts bleed."

What Could Trigger an XRP Reversal?

For bulls, the playbook is simple: XRP needs to decisively reclaim $3.10 and hold it. That WOULD break the "lower highs" pattern and possibly attract fresh capital. But without sustained volume (TradingView data shows declining OBV), any rally might fizzle. On the flip side, a close below $2.65 could spark panic selling. Interestingly, Bitcoin’s dominance poses a dilemma—its strength steals oxygen from alts, but a BTC correction might drag everything down. As of October 9, 2025, the market feels like a tug-of-war between FOMO and caution.

Historical Precedents: Should XRP Holders Worry?

Let’s rewind to 2017 and 2021. Both cycles saw altcoins dramatically underperform BTC before major tops. The reason? Investors often rotate profits from risky alts into "safer" Bitcoin as markets peak. XRP’s current behavior fits that script. Of course, past performance isn’t predictive—but as the old Wall Street saying goes, "History doesn’t repeat, but it often rhymes."

Expert Take: The BTCC Team’s Perspective

"XRP’s technicals mirror altcoin fatigue," notes BTCC’s lead analyst. "The $2.65-$3.10 range is critical. A breakdown could trigger stop-loss cascades, while a breakout might reignite momentum—but we’d need to see institutional inflows via BTCC’s XRP/USDT pair to confirm sustainability." They emphasize watching Bitcoin’s momentum; if BTC corrects, XRP could face amplified selling.

FAQ: Your XRP Questions Answered

Why is XRP forming lower highs?

Lower highs indicate weakening demand. Each rally attracts fewer buyers, allowing sellers to cap prices at progressively lower levels.

How does Bitcoin’s price affect XRP?

While BTC rallies often lift altcoins temporarily, extreme dominance (like now) can divert capital away from assets like XRP.

What’s the most important XRP price level to watch?

$2.65 (support) and $3.10 (resistance). A break of either could dictate the next major move.